Wall height

[David J. Potter]

If you go to any lumber yard and order 4-8' studs, take them home. place one horizontal, then another perpendicular to that horizontal one, then add two more horizontal studs on top, then measure the distance from the bottom to the top, within a reasonable tolerance that distance will measure 97 1/8" (Structural Ceiling Height). You then add a floor and ceiling covering thickness (carpet-carpet pad on the floor and sheet rock on the ceiling) then you end up with a "Finished Ceiling Height" of around 96".

If you buy 9' studs, you end up with a structural ceiling height of 109 1/8" +-, 10' studs=121 1/8" +- etc.

I may have misunderstood the intent of your original question as to "why" and if so please accept the above a a technical answer. In terms of whether they choose 8', 9' or 10' as the "Default" setting is what I was referring to as their arbitrary decision to make.

DJP